


Shoulders Braced

by Morgyn Leri (morgynleri)



Series: Fireside Tales [82]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Battle, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-03-05
Packaged: 2018-01-14 14:46:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1270396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgynleri/pseuds/Morgyn%20Leri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But they are not near, and his world is narrowed to him, his brother, and the next enemy to fall beneath his morningstar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shoulders Braced

**Author's Note:**

> Frerin, March 3019 Third Age  
> Prompt: Shield  
> Alternate Universe: Flame of Durin

Frerin plants his feet firmly, his shoulders braced against Thorin's as they fight - Thorin with the two-handed elvish sword of his, Frerin with a spiked morningstar and shield. The battle has been taken from the walls of Erebor down the River Running past Dale (in flames again, and he pushes away early memories of fire and smoke and running), nearly to the Long Lake. There are elves who fight alongside them, and Men, and he's even heard tell there are wargs and Gundabad orcs who harry the enemy from the rear. The last he doesn't think on too much, or he will drag memories into the light that he's buried in stone for over a century.

Nor does it matter who their allies are, save to know who not to kill, only that they fight to defend their homes and their families. He knows his nephews are in the battle, and his sister, no doubt at the side of one or the other of her sons. Their cousins, near and distant, and kin to the spouses of his siblings - spouses that he never met. But they are not near, and his world is narrowed to him, his brother, and the next enemy to fall beneath his morningstar.

Yet it is not enough. He fails to see - or stop - the blade that cuts down his brother, and he cannot defend his back when standing alone, though he fights with all the fury and defiance in his body. Shielding Thorin where he falls, until he himself is cut down. Together as they'd been as dwarflings, and have been in the last decades, now again in death.

**Author's Note:**

> I knew this was the end my muses intended for Frerin in this AU, and I wasn't going to fight them on it, but sometimes I think they chose the most awkward times to hit me with a brick. On the other hand, I think I'm happier to have written this from Frerin's POV rather than any other. I am not looking forward to any bit of story that falls at the end of this battle, though. And knowing my muses, they'll make me write it.


End file.
